Court Challenge

by Kimberley A. Strassel - September 25th, 2006 - Wall Street Journal (Opinion Journal)

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer garnered a stunning 81% of the vote in his primary for the New York governorship two weeks ago, riding high on his reputation as Chief Persecutor of Wall Street. It was the sort of result that should have made grown CEOs cry.

Still, there was some reason for good cheer in the business community: namely, a race on the other side of the country. In Washington, a relatively unknown property-rights lawyer, John Groen, challenged the activist chief justice of the state Supreme Court. It was the most hotly contested judicial contest in state history--highest profile, highest dollar, highest stakes. Mr. Groen lost last week, but barely. Across the country, incumbent judges--who are rarely challenged, much less seriously so--began shaking in their robes.

This article shows that some in the business community are getting fed up with the court's war against the rule of law. Our system of extortion, blackmail, liberal suppression of laws liberals don't like, and revolving door criminal justice to maximize attorney fees, has at long last riled up the business community.

The question I have to ask is, "Will they fight the ethical battle and return us to the rule of law or will they simply redirect the trial lawyers to pick on others outside business?"

That is the problem with the courts. They always pick their battles carefully. They give each group some reason to hope they are ethical while always maximizing court and judicial power.

This is a good article and describes a new front in the war to get back to the rule of law. It will be interesting.